What is Servant Leadership? with Kevin Wayne Johnson

All right. Excellent. Bobby, thank you so much for the invitation. It's a joy to be here with you. I'm a native of Richmond, Virginia, and that's where I grew up. Most of my family going all the way back to my great grandparents on both sides. I'm a product of the Richmond public schools and Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business. It's kind of a funny story. I started out as a premed student because I was very sickly as a child. And as I began to heal and grow up, I really understood the premise and the passion and compassion of physicians and doctors and anesthesiologists. So I wanted to be one. So I showed up as a freshman on this big college campus and I go into the freshman class for chemistry 101. That's the first class that we have to take as premed students. Chemistry 101, 300 person auditorium. The professor looked like he was a thousand yards away, like a little ant. And I just could not grasp what in the world he was talking about. So I decided not to become a doctor and I ended up in the school of business, and that worked out pretty well. I graduated with a degree in business administration. Went on into the federal government not knowing that I would stay for 34 years, but I stayed for 34 years, made a career out of it, and then I retired. I wasn't tired. I wanted to do something else. I still have some energy. So what I focus on in this season of life is leadership: the whole concept, the premise, the processes, the strategies, and the principles that govern what good leadership looks like. And I started my company, the Johnson Leadership Group, with that in mind. And my team and I train frontline, mid-level, and senior level leaders in government, corporations, churches, nonprofits, as well as academic institutions. I've been married for 32 years, soon to be 33, and from our union we raised three sons back to back. When they were young, my buddies called me Fred MacMurray because of the old TV show My Three Sons. So that's a little bit about the journey, and happy to be here with you today.

Servant leadership, as many of your listeners may know, is a concept that entered into the American marketplace back in 1970. That premise has everything to do with developing a servant mentality and a servant approach when it comes to working with people. I take it a step further. The reason I write and title the book Leadership with a Servant's Heart is because it's very important for leaders to recognize and acknowledge that it's more than just what we know, our subject matter expertise and our intelligence. That's expected. But leadership also aligns what's in the mind with what's in the heart. And what's in the heart exudes respect, value, care, and honor for those we're serving, but it also incorporates an element of compassion and empathy when we're dealing with people. It doesn't make us weak as leaders. It makes us human. Because people we're leading are always looking for the answer to three basic questions. They never say it out loud, it's internalized. But when we show up and we're designated as the leader, the people we're now responsible for have three questions: number one, can I help you? Number two, are you going to provide me some hope? And number three, do you care that I'm here? In other words, am I visible to you? That's what they're internalizing. Hopefully the answer is yes. Because the leader is there to develop, equip, and prepare people so that they're ready when they move up to the next level of responsibility. So we're supposed to make sure we share information, provide resources, get them to the right training programs. This is what leadership is all about. There's no longer an expectation that we do the work. We've already demonstrated that we can do the work. Now we take care of those people who are going to be doing the work. And that's the difference between what I view as servant leadership introduced back in 1970 and leading, because the 'ing' is an indicator of continual, recurring, and ongoing. We're leading with a servant's heart. It's from the heart that we value people, respect them, honor them, and demonstrate that we really care for them. That makes a big difference because we're talking about human behavior.

To me, it's making sure we recognize and acknowledge what each individual on the team needs to be the best. We're helping people tap into their potential, but you have to get to know people and allow yourself as the leader for your people to get to know you, because now we're on our way to establishing relationships. As we all know, trust and respect are not given. They're both earned over time. Part of earning that trust and respect is cultivating, maintaining, and sustaining good relationships with the people we work for and the people who work for us. Leaders do hold people accountable. Don't get me wrong. Leaders are not doormats. But we can show the human side of who we are, and then we can make the transition from having to mandate, dictate, and threaten to now just ask. And people will be more than willing to get it done. Any leader who shows up to re-emphasize that they are the leader, that they're the boss, might have to think about it again. If you have to remind people you're the boss, you may not actually be the boss.

That leads to a really great conversation about how you motivate your people. You motivate them either through the words you say or by the actions you take. I have a phrase I use all the time: wherever you go, there you are. And people do what people see. So if a leader is having challenges getting people to go west because they keep going east, I ask them to do a self-reflection and self-assessment. What are you doing? Because most people model what they see, and you are the role model and example people are watching. That gives them pause to say, 'I never thought about it that way.' And then we talk about different strategies and principles to motivate people to be the best they can be. Everyone's different. You can't use one wide paintbrush to paint the entire wall. You have to take some time. Some areas need a small paintbrush, others a roller. Think about the tools you can take out of your toolbox to lead the 18 different people who report to you, because all 18 are different. We walk through some of those principles that shed light on what they can do better to help their people. It's all about helping the people and being there for them.

I agree on two fronts. First, good leadership always starts with leading ourselves because we have to be comfortable in our own skin. We have to know our communication style, conflict management style, and how we listen, because everyone has blind spots. We never see ourselves the way others see us. Second, we have to do everything we can to forge relationships with those who work with us. My advice is to keep it simple, informal, and short. Just simple things like saying thank you and 'I appreciate you' or 'Great presentation today' goes a long way. Everyone's looking for affirmations. On a Friday afternoon when people are about to depart, say 'Have a great weekend.' Over time, they'll open up and share what they're doing. A smart leader will remember that and ask them on Monday, 'How was that ski trip to the Alps?' or 'How did the children like Hershey Park?' These small, informal conversations lead to great benefits. It's not about scheduling a one-hour meeting in the conference room. These are what I call drive-bys, just asking each other how you're doing. Before you know it, the team is talking back to you. This is how you forge relationships. Now we can transition to just asking people to complete a project versus having no relationship and having to mandate, dictate, or threaten. That small investment, maybe every other day or once a week, builds rapport, chemistry, and camaraderie. Now we're well on our way to earning trust and respect. It takes time. Once we get there, the light really illuminates and you get things done as a team.

The key is to recognize and acknowledge that leadership is incredibly important from the human element perspective. Don't overlook people as being just workers. Recognize that people have needs, issues, concerns, and challenges. We're working in a time where some of our colleagues are taking care of elderly parents, raising young children, battling health issues, or commuting 90 minutes. The key to leadership with a servant's heart is making sure we recognize people as people, not just workers. If we can get that basic, fundamental principle correct, we're on our way to motivating, inspiring, and encouraging people to be their best.

The goal should always be to help people find their sweet spot, to tap into their potential. Remember, we all have blind spots, and none of us see ourselves the way others see us. Good feedback, open conversations, and holding people accountable are key. Accountability, like feedback, has to do with helping a person improve and do better. When we hear the word 'feedback,' we automatically think it's about something we did wrong because that's how it's been treated historically. But if we flip that script and remind people that feedback and accountability are given in the spirit of helping them get better, it pays off. I want leaders at all levels to remember that we're trying to help people tap into their potential. Many people lack self-confidence, have self-doubt, or think they don't have what it takes. When we come alongside and say, 'Yes, you can do it, you have what it takes, great job,' over time they'll step forward. They'll raise their hand for complex assignments because we gave them confidence on the smaller responsibilities. They know they have a leader who will give them top cover, enough room to make mistakes without retribution. It's a learning experience. If people know that, they'll give it their all.

Those are good insights. I just don't want people in leadership positions to take their eyes off the prize. The prize is the human resource, the most valuable resource in any organization. It's no coincidence that we have departments called human resources and chief human resource officers who report directly to the CEO. As we find ourselves in an environment with five generations in the workplace, each generation has different proclivities, interests, and perspectives. The leader brings it all in and is responsible for chemistry, camaraderie, collaboration, and cooperation. I make it sound easy, but implementation is not easy. That's why my book is titled Leading with a Servant's Heart, because it's an ongoing process.

One result is bringing clarity to the leader about why it's important to serve. Back in 1970, there wasn't clarity around what it means to be a servant leader. Many equated it with being weak, but that's not the case. When you understand what it means to serve people, it's about ensuring they have access to information, sharing resources, understanding how they tick, and getting them the right training. When you serve another person, you're looking out for their best interest, like a GPS navigating their journey and helping them recalibrate when they go in the wrong direction. In organizations, we remind them not to appoint someone who is smart but doesn't like people into a leadership role. We teach the ramifications of that and the benefits of promoting those who love pouring into others. That's the totality of what we're talking about. Leadership with a servant's heart helps leaders understand why what's in our mind must align with what's in the heart. When that happens, we narrow the gap between what people expect from their leaders and what leaders deliver.

The first step for all leaders is to embrace the concept of getting to know your people and allowing them to get to know you. Here's what I used to do. Our staff meetings were Wednesday mornings at 10 o'clock in a large conference room. There were about 15 leaders around the table and 25 others along the wall. I chose not to sit at the head of the table because they already knew I was the leader. I sat in the middle. I opened the meeting with a two-minute summary of why we're here and the desired outcome. The agenda had already gone out, so everyone came prepared. I'd say something like, 'Good morning, how you all doing? I had a rough drive this morning. I made it, ready to go. I had a hard time getting my youngest son out the house. He almost missed the school bus. Last night I burned broccoli.' These stories let them get to know me. Then we go around the table for two to three minute updates on important projects. That shows how things are going and where you need help. That's where team chemistry and collaboration come in. The finance person might help if you're short $5,000. The meeting is scheduled for an hour, but because the agenda went out in advance and I keep my remarks short, we always finish 15 minutes early. I give people back their time. We're team building, and I'm sending a message that they should enjoy coming to meetings. They're not boring or drab. All of this is part of relationship building. For leaders just getting started or those who've been at it for a while, getting to know your people and being open to them getting to know you is the number one approach to leading. It helps earn trust and respect.

All right. It was an absolute joy being with you. Thanks for the invitation. My company is the Johnson Leadership Group, based in Maryland. The website is www.thejohnsonleadershipgroup.com. There you'll find information about our training and coaching, the clients we've served, and an online course. Our books, Leadership with a Servant's Heart, are a series. We're up to book three. We're in the midst of a 12-month book tour, currently in month seven, going through 25 cities across the US. In February, tour stops 15 and 16 are in New Orleans and Phoenix. We do events leading conversations on leadership, meet and greets, and book signings. Check the schedule to see when I'll be in your city. The book is available everywhere books are sold: Amazon, local bookstores, Walmart, Target, Books-a-Million, and Goodreads. It's available in audio, ebook, and print. If you need training for your team, reach out. We'd be happy to come to a city near you.